


Just a Misunderstanding

by WordsFromAsh



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Established Relationship, F/M, Minor Alya Césaire/Nino, alya is just a loyal friend okay?, alya's pov, mention of ladrien, post-reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-20 19:40:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6022378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordsFromAsh/pseuds/WordsFromAsh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alya has what she believes is incriminating evidence against Adrien and doesn't understand why Marinette isn't more upset by the news. Not that she wants to upset her best friend, but after all, who wouldn't be upset to find out their boyfriend was supposedly cheating on them? And with Paris's superhero no less?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just a Misunderstanding

Alya marched up to the school and stomped up the steps, right past Nino who sat on the wall waiting for her. A growl was building in her chest the closer she got to the front doors of the school. If he wasn’t with Nino, then he had to be in school.

“You okay?” Nino said, climbing two steps at a time in order to keep up with her.

Alya simply gripped her phone with the evidence on it and flung the door open with her other hand, narrowly clipping her boyfriend with it. A surprised sound choked from behind her, and though she felt bad, she did not stop to make sure he was alright. She was a woman on a mission and Nino would catch up with her if he fell behind.

The halls parted for her anger, giving her a straight shot to the source of said anger.

She had warned him when he started dating Marinette. She had _told_ him that if he hurt Marinette then she’d have no qualms with punching his perfect model face so that every baby would cry upon looking at him. Of course, Alya had told him these threats with an amused smirk and immediately broke into laughter because that was what best friends were supposed to say to their best friend’s new boyfriend even if it would never happen. And Alya sincerely believed it would never happen. But now. _Now_ —

“Adrien Agreste, what the fuck do you think you’re doing.” Alya slammed her fist against the lockers in a metallic bang that was heard around the world. Not his face. Not yet. She’d let him at least try to explain himself first. After all, he was _her_ friend as well.

The boy jumped at his locker, nearly dropping his physics book needed for their first class that day. His reflexes were quick though and he caught the book before it could land on his foot. Sadly.  Adrien spun around with those innocent wide eyes and perfect model face that won Marinette over and Alya was never so livid to see them than now.

She balled up the hand resting on the lockers into a fist.

For two years— _two long years—_ she had humored Marinette’s obnoxiously obvious crush on the boy and even rooted for her two friends to step past their oblivious natures to see how they mutually liked each other more than friends. And when they _did_ start to date under some very unclear circumstances that both Marinette and Adrien danced around telling Alya and Nino, Alya had been ecstatic for them both. Like the best friend she was, she tackled Marinette down before the poor girl could even begin to blush as she told Alya that Adrien _liked_ her, liked her and that they were dating.

Or, at least that’s what Alya had believed. It was hard to believe that now. Just as it was hard for her to believe this innocent act of his.

“Uh, hey Alya,” he blinked and his glanced at her fist before looked over her shoulder. “Marinette’s not here yet, but uh… Nino?”

“Nino, don’t say a _word_ ,” Alya demanded knowing that her boyfriend was shrugging to his best friend already. Not that Nino would even be able to answer any of Adrien’s questions. Only three people knew of it: the brilliant acting Adrien, Alya herself, and the supposed hero Ladybug. And that’s how Alya planned to keep it. “How could you, Agreste?”

His eyes slid back to her and he tilted his head like a puppy—Marinette preferred to call it his lost kitten look, but whatever. Alya wouldn’t fall for the distraction like Marinette did.

“I don’t think I’m exactly following here. I uh… I dropped my book because you startled me?”

Nino snorted behind her, recognizing a bad answer when it was given.

“ _No_ , Agreste,” Alya said and restrained herself from pinching the bridge of her nose. Dense. The boy was dense. She’d give him that. “I mean how could you cheat on Marinette.”

Adrien, for his part, choked on air or his spit. Either would’ve done for her right now. “Cheat?” he spluttered. “I’d never. I- Why do you think I’m _cheating_ on Mari?”

Alya felt her stomach clench at how casually and naturally he used Marinette’s nickname. He shouldn’t even use her full name. She leaned forward so that Adrien, though much taller now, had to lean back into the lockers. “Because I have the evidence,” Alya said, sure of herself. She shoved her phone with the screen still blank right under his nose.

“Evidence?”

“Evidence,” Alya confirmed.

Adrien shook his head and ran a hand through his bangs. His hair fell right back into the _perfect_ place. “I don’t know how you have evidence for something that has never happened.” He placed his hand lightly on her wrist and guided her hand down away from his face. “I appreciate that Mari has you for a best friend and you look after her, but this is a bit much, don’t you think? I love Marinette and she knows that. I would never be… be… _unfaithful_ to her.”

Alya blinked now.

Love. When did they exchange that word and why hadn’t she heard about that declaration? Or was it just a word for him to throw around?

Alya frowned and unlocked her phone. She found the picture folder dedicated to Ladybug and Chat Noir and clicked on the incriminating picture. It was a perfectly clear picture that filled the entire screen of her phone in a way she wish it didn’t. Behind her Nino took a sharp intake of breath and breathed out a disappointed “Dude,” towards his friend. Wordlessly, she shoved the image in Adrien’s face again.

There was several beats of silence and then a quick, “It’s photoshopped.” Adrien’s face grew red and he looked nervous. Alya might as well have set up a lamp to direct into his face because as far as she knew, Adrien _squirmed_ with guilt.

“I took it myself yesterday,” she said flatly. “Some people don’t need to lie like you.”

“Alya—“

“No. Fix it, Agreste. Preferably in a way that she doesn’t find out about your cheating habits. She loved you Adrien. She had a crush on you for years. On _you_. Not the model, but Adrien Agreste, and you threw it all away. You hurt her.”

Adrien frowned now and shoved the phone away from his face. It wasn’t gentle like last time, but a quick forceful motion fueled by annoyance. “Like I said, I appreciate how loyal you are to her, Alya, but I don’t think you’re getting the full picture here. I’d never hurt her.”

There was something in the way he said those last words that sounded hurt himself, but Alya brushed it off. She steeled herself again. “Well too bad, because it’s inevitable now. Break up with Marinette or I’ll break up with her for you.”

A hand settled on her shoulder and she heard a cautious, “Alya….”

Alya frowned. “No, Nino. Marinette deserves better than—“

There was a small cough and Alya realized that Nino was trying to warn her.

Too late.

Oh, definitely too late.

“I deserve better than what?” Marinette said as she stepped past Alya with her ever present smile and stopped next to Adrien’s side. She popped up onto the balls of her feet to give him a peck on his cheek. Even now, after nearing six months of dating, she grew pink from their mild PDA. Especially mild, Alya always thought, compared to her own public displays of affection with Nino. But this wasn’t about her and Nino today. This was about them. Adrien and Marinette.

Adrien didn’t respond as he usually did—with his own quick kiss that always transformed the blush from pink to a crimson red. But he did reach down and intertwine their hands. Marinette leaned into him as he muttered a light “Nothing” to her.

Alya gave him a pointed look.

Marinette tilted her head. It was an action that Alya had seen her friend perform countless times before, but this time it reminded her too much of Adrien’s gesture just moments ago. “Is everything okay?”

Before the three of them could scramble for an answer, Marinette took notice of the phone and lifted her chin up to get a better look at what was displayed. A soft, surprised “Oh!” escaped from her.

Alya’s stomach dropped as she realized her phone was still on and the picture still up. She tried to pull the phone away and shove it in her pocket before Marinette could see more. Her friend wasn’t supposed to know and especially not like this. It would break her spirt, her heart, her _confidence_. But before Alya could make the evidence disappear like nothing happened just as Adrien suggested, Marinette grabbed the phone with reflexes that no matter how many times Alya witness always seemed unnatural for her friend.

“ _Oh_ ,” she breathed with wide eyes.

“Marinette, it’s not what it looks like,” Alya said frantically. She reached for the phone, but Marinette pulled away from her and held the screen closer to her face. It wasn’t supposed to go like this. Marinette wasn’t supposed to see that. Alya knew her friend. She knew Marinette was strong and could deal with a break up, even if it was Adrien Agreste who she’d be breaking up with. But Alya also knew that Marinette would not be able to handle the _cause_ of said break up, especially with Adrien Agreste.

“It _looks_ like Adrien is kissing Ladybug,” Marinette said carefully. She glanced up at Alya who stood frozen and horrified, waiting for the waterworks to begin, but Marinette kept her hand still snug inside Adrien’s. “Did you take this picture? It’s very clear.”

It was a compliment. Was it a compliment? It shouldn’t have been a compliment. Why was Marinette complimenting Alya on taking a very clear incriminating picture of her boyfriend kissing Ladybug? Because that’s what it was. It showed Ladybug holding Adrien after she had swooped in from the rooftops and grabbed him from an oncoming attack from an akuma yesterday. And that’s all Alya had tried to take a picture of was Adrien being saved. That was all. Honestly. She was still trying to beat his challenge to her of getting an unphotogenic picture of him. Being hoisted up and swung away during a fight had to qualify for a definitely unphotogenic picture for sure. Or so she had thought. But she had been a second too late in snapping the photo she wanted and instead captured Adrien stooping down to kiss Ladybug on the lips. On. The. _Lips._

Marinette frowned and spread two fingers across the touch screen to zoom in.

“I’m sorry,” Alya said even though it should’ve been Adrien saying it. At least he looked ashamed and refused to look at anyone, instead keeping his gaze downcast.

“That _is_ a pretty public kiss,” Marinette said softly. “Don’t you think?” she turned the phone to Adrien and nudged his side with her arm. He glanced at it before dropping his gaze again and Alya was taken aback by how Marinette’s eyes twinkled with subdued humor instead of shining with tears.

He let out a single nervous laugh and with his free hand, rubbed the back of his neck. “It uh, it seemed private at the time. It was just unlucky timing. Besides she saved me _and_ kissed back. I’m not the only one at fault here.” His voice picked up momentum and strength as he shifted the blame.

“Mmmm,” Marinette hummed trying to be cool and detached. Her face betrayed her as her eyes widened, pupils dilated, and her cheeks grew red again as if she was personally embarrassed by the accusation. “I’m sure Paris’s own Ladybug would never have done so if _someone_ didn’t initiate it,” Marinette said almost defensively and flustered over her words, blush still growing like she had some direct hand in all of this.

It scared Alya. Where were the tears? The heavy sobs that racked her body painfully and the cries that she could feel her heart physically breaking?

Not that Alya _wanted_ any of that bestowed to upon her best friend, but at least it was a more rational reaction. Not that secret smile that only tugged at the corner of her mouth that Marinette always seemed to share with Adrien and explain away as an inside joke between the two.

Alya failed to see how this could possibly be included under the term “inside joke”.

“Are you okay, Marinette? I- I didn’t want you to find out like this. And it’s not your fault. It’s Adrien’s. And don’t you have something to say, Adrien?” Alya said with another pointed look.

Adrien sent a harsh look right back at her that he usually only threw Chloe’s way. But when Marinette hummed again, the look melted into something more sheepish. “Uh, I’m sorry?”

“That’s not—“ Alya started, because a quick _I’m sorry_ wasn’t a cure all, fix all.

Marinette’s eyes crinkled. “It’s okay.”

Not a cure all, fix all, except maybe for Marinette. Alya stared at her friend. “That’s not okay, Marinette. He- he _kissed_ another girl and—“

“It is, though. I don’t expect you to understand, Alya, but everything is okay,” Marinette’s smile shrank into something smaller and her eyes looked oddly sad and wistful. Sad for Alya, not for her relationship with Adrien. She let go of Adrien’s hand and stepped forward to envelop Alya into a brief, but tight hug. “I’m so lucky to have you as my best friend watching my back, but I assure you it’s all just a misunderstanding.” She stepped back next to Adrien and picked his hand up this time into hers before Alya could even return the hug.

Alya blinked. “But- are you sure? I-“

Marinette nodded.

“Besides,” Marinette said with a light laugh in her voice and bright eyes. Her attitude picked right back up in a way that Alya thought maybe she imagined the sadness. A teasing grin pulled at her lips as a wave of unfamiliar boldness swept over her. “Maybe this means that I just need to even the playing field. Chat Noir isn’t too bad looking himself and _is_ quite the flirt, or so I’ve heard. Maybe he can spare a kiss if he can stop the puns for just a second.”

A blush overtook Marinette as she must have realized what she said. The jest slipped so easily and slyly from her. Alya could barely believe what her friend just said, jest or not. Marinette was confident at times, yes, but she was never _that_ bold. Especially when it came to speaking about anything involving romance.

“Now if you’ll excuse us, Adrien promised to help me with some final problems on that physics lab due today. We’ll see you two in class.” And before anyone could say anything else, Marinette dragged a wide-eyed Adrien down the hall.

“What,” Nino said stepping up next to Alya and readjusted his headphones as they watched their friends walk down the hall hand in hand still. “Was that.”

Alya frowned and unlocked her phone again. The picture was still up and zoomed in from Marinette’s inspection of the lip lock. Well, a peck on the lips, if Alya were to be honest. “I don’t know,” Alya said quietly as she held the phone closer to her face. Because right beneath the edge of Ladybug’s mask was an unfamiliar brilliant red blush that Alya never noticed before. It was as if the simplest bit of PDA dissolved Ladybug into an embarrassed mess. It reminded Alya of someone else she knew.

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize for any slight OOCness. Usually I'm better at keeping to character, but I'm still finding my bearings with these characters.


End file.
